Apparatus for bending and tempering sheets of glass



APPARATUS FOR BENDING AND TEMPERING SHEETS oF GLASS Jan. 2, 1951 G.w.lT. BIRD ET A1.`

Filed March 2, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 F/GJO,

FIGS.

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wm ww Attorney Jam' 2, 1951 Q w, 1' BIRD-EIAAL l APPARATUS FOR BaumaAND..TEMPEB'ING sHEETsWoF GLAs's Filed March 2, isis@-:5,-:sheets--sneet 2 Attorney Jan. 2, 1951 G. w. T. BIRD ET AL2,536,905'

APPARATUS Fon BENDING AND TEMPERING SHEETS o'F GLASS Filed March 2, 1948 1 s Sheets-sheet s F/GZ e A ttorney the tempering means comprisestwo opposed series of spaced pipes suitably apertured to provide jetforming means, each series being mounted on a backing plate. Accordinglybending and toughening apparatus constructed according to the presentinvention may include two sets of shaping means mounted to be movable toand from a glass sheet disposed between them for bending in planesperpendicular to the sheet, and the tempering means comprises twoopposed series of spaced pipes each pipe being provided with at leastone row of jet forming means.

In some constructions, however, according to the invention the temperingmeans is oscillated or reciprocated to assure that the .lets sweep thewhole of the surfaces of the bentl sheet being tempered, and in suchconstructions the tempering means comprises two opposed series of spacedpipes, each series forming a grid, each pipe being provided with atleast one row of jet forming means, characterized by the shaping meansof the two sets being mounted to be movable to a glass sheet, disposedbetween them for bending, from positions outside the respec- .tive gridsto the said glass sheet and back from the sheet through the grids topristine position whereby the grids may be freely and rapidly actuatedto move the rows of jets and quench the whole area of a bent sheetdisposed between them.

The grids, however, may be mounted on actuating means which can impartto the grids a circuitous or reciprocating motion in planes parallel toa sheet in the said midway position whereby on the shaping means beingretracted through the respective grids following a bending operation thetempering jets which issue from the grids may be immediately moved inthe circuitous or reciprocating paths prescribed by the actuating meansfor the grids. The motion may be of small amplitude i. e. small inrelation to the area of glass being treated.

In some constructions according to the present invention the shapingelements of each set of shaping means are mounted to be individuallyadjustable in a perpendicular direction to the plane of the unbentsheet.

The shaping elements are preferably each mounted on threaded rodscarried in threaded bearings on a laterally displaceable frameworkwhereby individual adjustment of the elements is achieved by relativerotation between the respective rods and their bearings, and theelements thereby adapted to effect bending to various curvatures, andmoreover to accurately adjust the elements to effect the production of aparticular curvature.

The present invention is applicable to bending and toughening apparatuswhether the glass is moved in a horizontal or a vertical direction afterleaving the furnace, the glass being vertically disposed during theprocesses of heating, bending and toughening, and the inventioncomprises the combination with a furnace for heating glass in sheetform, two opposed series of spaced pipes, each series formed in a grid,and each pipe provided with at least one row of jet forming means, theseries being disposed in planes near to the mouth of the furnace, meansfor withdrawing a sheet of glass and suspending it midway between theopposed grids, two sets of opposed shaping elements, each element beingpreferable laterally adjustable, and each set of elements being mountedand dirnensioned to be advanced between the pipes ofthe respective gridfrom a position outside to the suspended glass sheet and withdrawntherethrough whereby the hot sheet suspended between the grids may befirst bent and then tempered without actuating the suspending means.

Such apparatus may be characterized by the combination with a valve forcontrolling the supply of a duid cooling medium to the pipes, ofactuating means therefor carried by one or both of the sets of elementsof means for actuating said elements whereby, on withdrawing theelements, the valve is actuated to admit the cooling medium, means forimparting a circuitous motion in planes parallel to the planes of thegrids, and operative means for closing the valve, associated with themeans for activating the grids whereby on stopping the grids the supplyof cooling medium is cut off.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, onepreferred embodiment as applied to a vertical form of furnace andcomprising shaping means constituted by bars will now be described byway of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an end View of a pair of sets of formers and a pair ofquenching grids with the glass in position ready for bending.

Figure 2 is a View looking in the direction of the arrows II-II ofFigure 1 and showing one quenching grid and one set of formers,

Figure 3 is a sectional plan View taken on the line IIL-III of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing three pairs of guidewires for steadying the glass,

Figure 5 is a view showing the formers moved to the positions forbending the glass sheet,

Figure 6 is a sectional plan taken on the line VI-VI of Figure 4 showingthe positions of the parts when the quenching jets are projected on tothe glass sheets immediately following the withdrawal of the shapingmeans from the glass,

Figure '7 is an end View of a modified construction of shaping means andillustrating one arrangement of actuating means therefor,

Figure 8 is a plan of the construction shown in Figure 7, the grids andan interposed sheet of glass being shown in chain lines, and

Figure 9 is an elevation on the line IX-IX of Figure 8 to an enlargedscale showing details of the construction shown in Figures 7 and 8,hereafter referred to.

Figure 10 shows diagrammatically a part of a quenching grid with meansfor effecting circuitous movement thereof. Figure 11 is a plan of Figure10.

An electrical furnace for heating a sheet of glass arranged beneath oorlevel, has the mouth covered by hinged flaps, and in alignment with andabove the furnace is a tempering apparatus comprising two sets ofvertically disposed pipes 5 each set being connected by horizontallydisposed headers or manifolds indicated at 6, adapted to be suppliedwith compressed air through suitable conduits BU, the sets beingdisposed symmetrically of the central vertical plane of the apparatus sothat a heated sheet 4 can be raised from the furnace into a saidposition between the tempering grids formed by the two sets of connectedpipes. The pipes 5 may be rigidly connected to the headers or connectedthereto by flexible tubes as will be well understood in the art.

Disposed outside each grid is mounted a set of shaping bars l mounted ona frame 8 mounted to be` moved towardsthe respective .tempering ents,dat the iets fi ipa-se pipese fbi ne gne and ge e and eene@ heated sheetof glaasje 'suspended between 'the grids andthen moved had; to withdrawthe bars to lpristine positions 'outside the grids, thereonftenpei'ingje'an 'he e eeted immediately "ati pending meting grass. A

AnyV suitable steadying; means such ials. the

'the glass. The are fi are rei-med with. roei/es l than, shownfin-'Figure @to enable the bars to pj stne wires 1| when bending heglass., y A

ni the cen-stru tion siiswn `'in 'Figures 7 and l8, jthebars 1i' aremuntedenii-on rods 'sfw 'n are tweede@ an ne threaded 'parts pass ughthreaded been gs 'it -eaii he1dagainstaxiaidis-.piafeiiieiit-b-iiecapabie@fastened-:t 'enfrc'e axial 'lfisplaeement dfthe :rods The 'bars l ofm'ea'ch fset dahl'ithu's be vadjusted Ato leachother, and i'o'ne sei made to eoire'spe'ne iwith the einer vtoken@jiespeetive frame "o'i' piston vrod.

f As shown diagrama-neatly inf-Figures roma-21111 "tempering grids :mayAbe "eccenti'i'cally 'connected 'rotatable members i-lj'so as tol`receive'"acircu-itous -n'iovemeht therefrom and thereby any part f ieaeh Ytube i5 moves through a circular spath of radius ornpara'bie vwiththe 'spacing 'at the iet -irming means which yare provided on @thethereon, the spacing of which ymay be between 'i1/g fand 53 E-Ainjhe'sthereby a circular 'fmotion 'of einen amplitude is obtained. ne willbeweiiiinders'toodintneartlatiine switehmay be provided to :regulate"the period `:of tempering an'd'to "cut foi' Isupplyci Compressed v'airand `the rotatable members HI 3 actuating' thei grids may hejcon'nectedlt'ofa `source o f powenje. g. by switch means, jopiraftediffrom ithe:forming 'bars or their actuating piston rods.

vflyemploying'constructionsa'ecoriingto the invention in whichadjustableshapihgfelements are provided, (for instance as shown inFigures 7 and 9) an adeu'a'tely 'formed 'shape is produced in thebending operation-and maintained during 'tempering as no externaldeiorming stresses are applied since the `bent sheet remains in theposition at whichlo'ehding'ooourred :fdr'th'e tempering operation.

Inthe'o'peration of the apparatus shown-inthe drawings, 4`the glasssheet is first heated in the V`furnaceand is then Withdrawn from thefurnace "a-'n'dsuspended in the space-between the-tempering means 'e andbending means 7 as r'illustrated '-I'llFl-les l1 and 3. The IflnesS-aletlenln-Ofed towards 'one another so VASthat ithe sha-ping `elements 'Ipass through the grids formed by the pipes 5 and bend the glass to therequired shape as illustrated in Figure 5. The plates 8 are thenimmediately moved away from one another, so

epesses that fthe shaping y-el through the 's S l'slfioviiin Fi'g'u Siu'p'on cooling a" sfspplied to theg-rids 'thi'eugbh the fconduits Bil so"that 'qieneling lets :are vpro-'- eeted io'mvthe 'apertures I2 v"on tothe `heiltgelast immediately following the withdrawal @i y"ther'fsh`a`1'aiii1g "elements '1., the lbent glass remaining'fintht-:position liialligue 6. 1 'Weel-ai n -1. Ap aratus for `bending 'andtempering 2a ('Sh'et f -'gls -laS been heated `up to 'nr its fso'ftningtemperature -ehara'cteiiiz'ed lthe r"06ml'oi'nfation with two sets 'fofshaping mea'ns lxlifi'a'lly inbvlble t0 'Shape Y`a Asheet 70f `Lgf-lassdspoe 'between them vfor bei-idling 'and to be `Withdrla ffrom the sheetafter bending `it, v4eaohfo'f said ists of -shaping i-'neans including aplurality of fshap= iing elements lspaced japart in the -d-ireetion 1in77xvh-ich theffsheetlis f'tobe bent, fof opposedffsete bl 5Jtformingfnieans'mounted in xedispaeed eIaf- 'tronft'o be 5in fperativeposition with respect-ite fthe sheet drin'g bending and `tempe'iingtheredf and thereby disposed Ato proj'eet 'quenching `iets on 'to VVthebent glass immediately following fthe 41W"'-i't-licifra-'vval l"of thevshapint';'means from the g'dafss, "Wh-ieh remains `:in 'thek'p'osi'tior'l vwhich -fit oc'oiipi'ed 'fdring bending, said shapingelements passing between the jet forming means when being'ad'- vaneed toand VYWithdralvvn vfrom engagement 't'hegla'sssheet.

'52. Apparatus foi' bending `and temperirrg fa 2'Sheet of igla'ssV'which ihas been hea/"ted LAlp to lineal' 'lits softening ite'mperatnrecharacterized by the lcomlfoinati'on Iwith ftvvo sets Ofelia-pingm'eansm'utlilly moi/fable to Shalpe'a ShetfOf-'glass 'disposed between"them 'for bending and to be Withdrawn from thefsheet *after bending it,each of 'said 'sets 'dffshaping means including-a plurality off shapingelements fsp'aced @apart in fthe direction in 'fwliich 4ft'hefsheet'i's-tobebent of opposed sets'o'f jet form"- ing means mounted in xed spacedrelationand 'spaded Vaprart to ac'eommoda-te between them a bet sheet,s'aid shaping elements passing between fthe -je't for-ming means whenbeing fadvanc'ed to and Withdrawnifrom-engagementfwth ttheglassf-'s'heehthe Iextent of Withdrawal of the shaping el'emertsbeing such as to'move-fthemfoiit fofithepaths ofthe quenching jets, softhatthejets maybe proj ectedon to the glass nimmediately-`af vter Aibending, 4ftheglass `-`'reiiia'ining in the position whichit 'occupied'duringlbending.13.-Appa1f'atus`or bending and Vtempering l-a fslie'et "of-glasswhic'hlhas been rheated up vto near itssf-tening 4'-ten'perature`comprising -i-n combi- 'riation, two `.imposed series of :spaced 'pipesmoute'd lin xed Ispaced `'relation feach series 'lform'edona .gr-id, andeach -pipe provided `A`Withat "leastdne row fof jet :forming means,lsuspen'dirig -'a sheet of glass finidway between the yopposed grids,Vtvv'o 'sets wof opposed shapin'gfele'men-ts each rrse'to'f Yelementsb'ein'glm'ounted and dime'nsibne'd to be advanced between the pipes ofthe respec- `tivtegrd-'fr'omla position outside tothe suspended.'glass'sheet andwithdra'wn therethrough whereby -th'efhot fsheet'suspended between the v-grids may be-rst lbent and th'e'n temperedWithoutactuating the suspending means.

4 .Y'Appar'atu`s if'or 'bending and tempering -a 'sheet 'of glass 7whichhas been heated up tone'ar "its sftenng Ttemperature, comprising incombifination "two lopposed series of spaced pipes mounted in fixedspaced relation, two sets of shaping means mounted for movement betweensaid pipes to and from a glass sheet disposed between them for bendingin planes perpendicular Aeach pipe, each of said series of spaced pipesforming a grid movable freely and rapidly to move the rows of jets andquench the whole area ofy a bent sheet disposed between them, and twosets of shaping means mounted for movement in opposite directionsthrough said grids to bend a sheet disposed between the grids, said jetsbeing operative to project quenching jets on to the bent `glassimmediately following withdrawal of the `shaping means from the glass,

6. Apparatus for bending and tempering a sheet of glass which has beenheated up to near its softening temperature, comprising in combinationtwo opposed series of spaced pipes mounted in xed spaced relation toreceive at a mid-position therebetween a sheet of glass to be bent, atleast one row of jet forming means for each pipe, each of said series ofspaced pipes forming a grid movable in planes parallel to a sheet insaid mid-position between the grids to move the rows of jets and quenchthe whole area of a bent sheet, and two sets of shaping means mountedfor movement in opposite directions through said grids to bend a sheetdisposed between the grids, said jets being operative to projectquenching jets on to the bent glass immediately following withdrawal ofthe shaping means from the glass.

'7. Apparatus for bending and tempering a sheet of glass which has beenheated to near its softening temperature, comprising in combination twosets of shaping means mutually movable to shape a sheet of glassdisposed between them for bending and to be withdrawn from the sheetafter bending it, each of said sets of shaping means including aplurality of individually settable shaping elements spaced apart in thedirection in which the sheet is to be bent, and opposed sets of jetforming means mounted in fixed spaced relation to be in operativeposition with respect to the sheet during bending and tempering thereofand disposed to project quenching i jets on the bent glass immediatelyfollowing the withdrawal of the shaping means from the glass whichremains in the position it occupied during bending, said shapingelements passing between the jet forming mea-ns when being advanced toand withdrawn from engagement with the glass sheet.

8. Apparatus for bending and tempering a sheet of glass which has beenheated up to near its softening temperature, comprising in combinationtwo opposed series of spaced pipes mounted in xed spaced relation, twosets of shaping means mounted for movement between said pipes to andfrom a glass sheet disposed between them for bending in placesperpendicular to the sheet, each said set including shaping elementsmounted for individual adjustment in a direction perpendicular to theplane of the unbent sheet, and at least one row of jet forming means foreach pipe to project quenching jets on to the bent glass immediatelyfollowing withdrawal of the shaping means from the glass which remainsin the position it occupied during bending.

9. Apparatus for bending and tempering a sheet of glass which has beenheated up to near its softening temperature, comprising in combinationtwo opposed series of spaced pipes mounted in fixed spaced relation, twosets of shaping means mounted for movement between said pipes to andfrom a glass sheet disposed between them for bending in planesperpendicular to the sheet, each said set including a, laterallydisplaceable framework to support the individual shaping means of theset, a threaded bearing in the framework for each said shaping means,and a threaded rod for each said shaping means, the rods being carriedin said threaded bearings to permit individual adjustment of the shapingmeans by relative rotation between the rods and their bearings in adirection perpendicular to the plane of the unbent sheet, and at leastone row of jet forming means for each pipe to project quenching jets onto the bent glass immediately following withdrawal of the shaping meansfrom the glass which remains in the position it occupied during bending.

10. Apparatus for bending and tempering a sheet of glass which has beenheated up to near its softening temperature, comprising in combinationtwo opposed series of spaced pipes mounted in fixed spaced relation toreceive at a mid-position therebetween a sheet of glass to be bent, atleast one row of jet forming means for each pipe, each of said series ofspaced pipes forming a grid movable freely and rapidly to move the rowsof jets and quench the whole area of a bent sheet disposed between them,and two sets of shaping means mounted for movement in oppositedirections through said grids to bend a sheet disposed between the gridsin planes perpendicular to the sheet, each said set including alaterally displaceable framework to support the individual shaping meansof the set, a threaded bearing in the framework for each said shapingmeans, and a threaded rod for each said means, the rods being carried insaid threaded bearings to permit individual adjustment of the shapingmeans by relative rotation between the rods and their bearings in adirection perpendicular to the plane of the unbent sheet.

GEORGE WILLIAM TERENCE BIRD. JOHN BENNETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,960,222 Long May 22, 19342,111,370 Owen Mar. 15, 1938 2,137,061 Quentin Nov. 15, 1938 2,235,969White Man-25, 1941 2,251,159 Owen July 29, 1941 2,369,368 Paddock et alFeb. 13, 1945 2,372,418 Forbes et al. Mar. 27, 1945

